MONTHLY REPORT -- March/April 1999
Highlights of our activities in March and April follow, including staying current on the Basic Responsibilities.
Basic Responsibilities:
ACCOUNTING
--Process non-problem unit order invoices within 7 days of receipt
--Batch process invoices for payment at least 3 times a week
--Review and mail checks within 2 days of receipt
--Produce, review, and distribute Accounting & Fund Reports each month as scheduled
--Review and reconcile FAS reports within 3 weeks of receipt
--Review statements and resolve invoicing problems monthly
DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING
--Answer the 292-6314 line for the 3 depts in room 040; forward calls, voice mail and messages
--Open, sort, and distribute incoming mail daily / gather and forward outgoing mail
--Coordinate supply requests from all TS depts, distribute supplies and pursue requests not filled
--Collect & proofread TS staff & student time sheets; verify appropriate signatures; deliver to HR
--Maintain incoming serial and monograph mailflow
--Maintain TS web site
--Respond to TS requests for documentation and training
AUTOMATION & PROJECTS
--Respond to TS requests for help with PCs, printers and other equipment
--Produce and print MOD ORT boolean, print MOD order slips and print claim slips daily
--Support other TS depts with regular assistance in various workflows
March
Accounting
Accounting staff (Ellen Scherer, Kathie Miller and myself) attended numerous ARMS Procurement training sessions. With the University decision to delay implementing the general ledger until 2000, TSAA will have limited involvement with ARMS accounting systems until next year.
Accounting staff and Carol Diedrichs set end of Fiscal Year closing plans and increased efforts to process invoices and clear problems in preparation. Details of the closing schedule will be distributed as we get closer to the end of the quarter.
Printing the twice monthly fund activity reports via our laser printer was figured out with assistance from Sally Rogers.
Automation/Projects
Reorganization changes continued. In room 040, these included installation of an additional dataline, a phone line for the new Serial Librarian position, reassignment of existing pc and phone lines and rearranging of workstations and equipment to the long anticipated final locations.
Documentation/Training/Web/Admin
Jim Whitcomb, our Web site and projects LMTA2, accepted another LMTA2 position in MOD, leaving us 4/7/99. Until then, he and Lisa worked on the Technical Services web site. Jim finished designing the shell of the TS web site and mounted it on the Galaxy server.
TSAA extended our service role to the five TS depts: handling supply requests now for all 5 depts weekly; providing assistance with the start of Eudora 3 e-mail; handling CAT's time sheet, pay check and incoming mail processes; and staffing CAT room 030 while that department was on retreat.
Lisa prepared workshop materials for MOD (GOBI test) and CAT (Item record training)
Mary revised the ACQ Fax lead sheet to serve all TS depts.
Lisa trained a CAT student, Sanjay Jha, to create "K" level records in OCLC for the Retrocon project and gave a brief introduction to Jim Pinel, new staff in MOD, on using FELIX.
We hired two students to assist with phone coverage of the 292-6314 line during Mary Stiffler's lunch and afterwork hours.
Other
Ellen completed 2 evaluations for staff she supervised in the old RAD and I completed 7 evaluations for staff in the old RAD and FAD.
April
Accounting
I took over updating Felix fund transfers from Carol Diedrichs. I also took responsibility for review and follow up fund changes for serial 3 and 4 funds from the twice a month fund reports.
With full staffing reached in MOD, it was arranged that monograph receipt problems, handled by Kathie Miller in the former Receiving Division, will now be resolved by Mike Valinis in MOD. Fine tuning of this transfer of responsibility will continue through coming months.
Automation/Projects
Deb trained as backup for running the weekly checkin list sent electronically to Faxon/Dawson.
The SER laser printer was installed. Deb set it as the default or an alternative on all PCs for which it was requested.
Deb assisted MOD with catchup work on duplicate approval shipments that accumulated during the approval plan vendor switch. She eliminated the backlog of numerous booktrucks.
An additional request for TS furniture was put together and sent out for quotation figures.
Deb worked with Automation to confirm the CatME software is available where requested. Lisa will practice with the software then give a workshop on the system to all TS staff who will be using the software.
Carol Diedrichs asked TSAA to keep statistics for all TS depts on when the OCLC higher access rate message was received by staff. At the end of May, this tally will be used to assess whether OSUL needs to adjust how many dedicated connections are purchased.
Deb completed a PC location list for all TS depts. IT (Automation) will use the information in future installations.
Dept heads accepted a TSAA suggestion that TS dept staff continue to refer automation problems to Deb or other TSAA staff first rather than use the new web based problem report to IT. Often Deb or Lisa can resolve the problem without involving IT staff, saving IT and TS staff a lot of time.
Documentation/Training/Web/Admin
Lisa and Deb provided Eudora, Felix and other training for additional new TS staff; Noelle Lydic (MOD) and Regina Patterson (CAT). Lisa also trained Regina on all aspects of her administrative assistant duties.
The web site was made available to all TS dept employees. Lisa made a presentation on its' current status to the TS department heads. She noted their suggestions for future development and continues to update it as she can find the time until Jim's position is filled.
Lisa and Mary revised the 040 mailboxes, finding enough space so each employee has their own slot.
Lisa and Ellen updated the Fund report distribution lists.
Lisa constructed a contact list for all OSU cataloging units. This list was requested by TSC to help with shared records problem resolution.
Jim's position description was updated and the job was posted in April.
Lisa assisted CAT by finishing their monthly reports for February and March.
Other
All TSAA evaluations were completed.
All TSAA staff except myself completed the Personal Interaction Training sessions.
I assisted with University architect visits to plan office construction for Trisha Davis and Magda El-Sherbini.
Deb and I also worked with Ryan and an outside firm to get an estimate on improved signage for room 040.